Merchandise display rack

ABSTRACT

A collapsible merchandise display system employing a ground engaging pedestal having a central tubular hub for receiving an upright support pole on which are rotatably mounted one or more support means. Each support means is particularly distinguished by parallel spaced rails separated by a vertical space or gap for receiving mounting hook portions of wire formed display baskets. The baskets are uniquely constructed to define an open top article confining pocket having a generally open front wall defined by an article restraining barrier related to the upper rim of the basket in such a fashion as to permit internesting of the baskets. Since the system components are readily assembled and disassembled, the same are conveniently transported and stored in knocked down condition to minimize shipping and storage volume.

This invention relates generally to display racks, and more particularly to an improved display system and rack structure for supporting and displaying articles of merchandise such as books, magazines and the like, in individual wire formed baskets. The system of this invention is further distinguished by a knock down or collapsible capability of its various components featured by the internestability of individual article holding baskets so as to minimize space requirements for transportation and storage of the system.

In the past, display rack systems of the type to which the present invention pertains, employing individual display baskets for holding books, magazines, records and like articles, in general have been constructed as rigid or semi-collapsible structures constructed and assembled at the factory and shipped in assembled condition to the merchandiser for installation. It is the general design theme of such display systems to provide a plurality of individual pockets or article receptacles whereby the customer is afforded a high range of commodity selection. With few exceptions, such display racks of the prior art have been voluminous, cumbersome and necessarily uneconomical to handle, transport and store. To alleviate this problem, there have been previous efforts to provide collapsible display rack systems, but to my knowledge, such have been unduly cumbersome and complex in their structure and have not generated widespread acceptance, principally because of the inconvenience and time consuming nature of their assembly requirements.

The present invention is directed to an improved display rack system which alleviates the foregoing noted problems, of previously known rigid or semi-collapsible systems, by providing a simplified and readily collapsible assembly employing light weight, wire formed components including a plurality of article receiving baskets, to hold and display merchandise and particularly characterized by a unique formation and structural arrangement leading to their nesting capability. Such feature when taken with the collapsible nature of the means for supporting the display baskets greatly minimizes shipping and storage volume and weight requirements.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an improved collapsible merchandise display rack system.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved display rack system as aforesaid, employing novel wire formed baskets in which articles of merchandise are stored and displayed and which baskets are featured by simplified means for removably interconnecting the same with support means of the display system.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved display rack assembly employing wire formed baskets for confining articles to be displayed and which are capable of being internested to minimize shipping and storage space.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide an improved display rack system which is readily erected and collapsed and which leads to improved economies of manufacture, transportation and utilization.

Having thus described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those familiar with the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings and constituting the best mode presently contemplated to enable those skilled in the art to understand and practice this invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled display rack system according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view, similar to FIG. 1, illustrating collapsible features of the system components;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of several typical display baskets according to this invention and illustrating their internestability;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in side elevation, with portions thereof foreshortened and in section, of the display system illustrated in FIG. 1 depicting the mode of interconnecting the display baskets with the support means; and

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of an alternate support means according to this invention.

Turning now to the specific features of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, initial attention is directed to FIGS. 1 and 2 where the system's components are illustrated. As shown in those Figures, the improved display rack structure, indicated generally by numeral 10, comprises a support base 11, a tubular pole assembly 12 carrying a support means 13 and a plurality of individual merchandise display basket means 14 attachable to means 13.

With specific reference to individual features of the above noted components for display system 10, the support base 11 (see FIG. 2), according to the particular illustrated embodiment, comprises an annular metal rim member 20, having a first pair of parallel spaced linear support rods 21, 21 extending diametrically thereacross. A second pair of support rods 22, 22 likewise extend transversely across the rim member 20 and intersect the rods 21 near the center of the rim member. Support rods 21 and 22 are suitably formed of relatively heavy wire or metal rod material and are spot welded to the rim member and each other at their areas of intersecting engagement, to provide a rigid structure. It is particularly to be noted that the rod members 22, 22 are formed with a central semi-circular portion 23 substantially at their mid points so as to overlyingly bypass rods 21. A tubular hub member 24 is disposed in upright position centrally of the rim member and located between the intersecting pairs of rod members 22 and 21. Hub member 24 is suitably welded to the adjacent portions 23 of the rod members 22 as well as to the lower rod members 21.

It will be recognized that the base member 11 is of a diameter and size, despite its relatively light weight construction to provide a stabilizing ground engaging support pedestal or base for the tubular pole 12.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, the pole 12 comprises one or more sections of metal tubing, such as sections 30 and 31 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, which are identically formed in desirable sectional lengths and each with a necked-down or reduced diameter portion 32 at one end (see FIG. 4). Thus adjacent tubular sections of the pole may be coaxially interfitted to achieve the desired height for the display stand. It also will be noted that the lowermost tube section 31, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, is supported on the pedestal base 11 by inserting its necked down portion 32 coaxially into the tubular hub 24 of the base. This relationship is best illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

It also is to be noted that each of the tubular sections 30, 31, etc. is formed with one or more axially spaced pairs of registeringly aligned openings 33 for receiving a cotter pin 34, or the like, so that each tubular section of the pole assembly 12 is adapted to mount and rotatably carry one or more support means 13; the cotter pins 34 acting as stop means for locating each support means on its respective pole section, in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings. It will be appreciated, of course, that depending on the number of opening pairs 33 provided in each pole section and the length of such sections, one or more support means 13 are carried thereon as desired.

Turning now to the features of the improved support means 13 according to this invention, a preferred form thereof is illustrated best in FIG. 2 of the drawings as comprising an annular wheel or circular support means formed of a pair of closed annular, vertically superimposed and parallel spaced rings or rails 40, 41 formed of relatively heavy wire stock. The rail members 40, 41 are suitably joined to a central tubular hub member 42 by intervening spoke arm portions 43 and 44 of a pair of V-shaped members, each having a short base portion 45 at its apex for welded connection to the exterior of the tubular hub member 42 in assembly. It is to be noted in particular that the outer ends of the arm portions 43 and 44 are disposed between the two annular rails 40, 41 and welded thereto to maintain such rail members in parallel spaced relation. In the particular embodiment illustrated there are four spoke arm portions dividing the circumferential spacing between the superposed rail members 40, 41 into quadrants.

As shown best in FIGS. 1 and 4, the hub member 42 of the support means 13 is adapted to slide concentrically over the sections of the pole assembly, stopping against the cotter pins 34 so as to permit the free rotational movement of the support means 13 about the support pole assembly 12 in operation. Importantly, the vertical spacing or gap between the superposed rail members 40, 41 of the support means 13 is just slightly greater than the diameter of the wire stock used to form the display baskets 14 for interconnecting the latter to the support means as will now be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, each basket means 14 comprises a wire formed receptacle constituting an open top basket for receiving and displaying articles of merchandise such as books, magazines, ladies stockings and like items. In essence each basket means 14 comprises a generally rectangular shaped retainer rim member 50 formed of a single length of wire having the ends thereof welded together to provide an uninterrupted element. Rim member 50 is fastened, as by welding, to each of two laterally spaced leg portions 51, 51 of a unified body member composed of the leg portions 51, 51, transversely related parallel spaced bottom bar portions 52, 52 and an intervening generally V-shaped front barrier wall portion 53 comprising angularly intersecting arm portions 54, 54 (see FIG. 1). As mentioned previously, the rim member 50 is welded to the leg portions 51, 51 near the upper or outer ends thereof so as to parallel the spaced bottom bar portions 52, 52 with the barrier wall portion 53 serving to define the frontal regions of the basket. The extreme outer ends of the leg portions 51, 51, above rim member 50 are distinguished by curvilinear hook portions 55 which extend toward the open top of the basket and are insertable between the spaced rails 40, 41 of the mounting means 13 in assembly.

As best illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the basket is upended and the outer ends of the hook portions 55 inserted in the space or gap between the peripheral rail members 40, 41 of the support means (see the dotted line positioning of the basket means 14). Thereafter the basket is swung or rotated downwardly in a counterclockwise direction to securely lock the hook portions 55 about the upper rail member 40 of the support means 13. Importantly, the lowermost rail 41 of the support means interferingly engages and undersupports the leg portions 51 of the basket means immediately below the hook portions 55. Thus the load carried within the confines of the basket is vertically supported by the upper rail member 40 of the support means while the lower rail 41 laterally supports the basket and limits movement thereof toward the pole means. Since the hook portions partially surround the upper rail member 40, the same are not accidentally detachable therefrom, but must be repositioned to their upended condition for disconnection from the support means.

Importantly, it is to be noted that the V-shaped partial barrier or front wall portion 53 defined by the intersecting arm portions 54, 54 has its integral apex portion 56 spaced below the rim member 50 as best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. By virtue of this structural arrangement, it is possible to internest a plurality of basket members in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings by first hooking the barrier portion 53 beneath the front rail 57 of the rim member 50 and rotating the same counterclockwise as illustrated in FIG. 3 to place succeeding baskets one within the other as shown. In this fashion at least four such baskets may be internested to minimize space requirements for storing or shipping the same. Of added importance, this internesting capability also lends itself to manufacturing economy and space saving convenience, when plating the raw metal wire of the display baskets.

Depending on the lateral spacing between the leg portions 51, 51 of the basket means, one or more of the same may be mounted along each circumferential quadrant of the support means as defined by the spaced spokes 43 and 44 and the diameter of the rail members 40, 41. In practice, the suspension of two baskets for each quadrant of the mounting means is desirable. In any event, it will be understood that while the drawings herein depict the interconnection of only a single basket means 14 with the support means 13, it is fully contemplated that the support means be equipped with a plurality of basket means so as to maximize the number of individual display pockets available to the merchandiser.

Turning now to the modified form of support means 13a illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings, it will be therefrom recognized that such is adapted to be mounted over the pole sections, such as section 30 shown, in the same manner as means 13 heretofore described. In principle this modified support means 13a follows the concept of the first described circular support means 13 and comprises pairs of parallel spaced top and bottom linear rail members 60 and 61, respectively, disposed in superposed registering paired relationship, or that is, with one rail 60 immmediately over a lower rail 61. The spacing between rails 60 and 61 is determined by the presence of intervening end bars 62, welded to the pairs of rails 60, 61. As in the support means 13, the rails 60, 61 are securely fastened, as by welding to a central tubular hub portion 63 which fits concentrically about a pole section and is undersupported on a transverse pin 34. Individual basket members 14 are suspended from means 13a by engaging hook portions 55 thereof between the spaced superposed rail members 60, 61 as illustrated in FIG. 5.

In regard to the modified support means 13a as well as the primary means 13 first described, it is important to recognize that the spacing between the rail members through which the hook portions of the baskets are inserted, is substantially equivalent to the diameter of the round wire stock from which the baskets are formed. This effectuates a relatively close fitting connection between basket and support means. In this manner the interconnection of the detachable basket means with the support means is secure and requires a substantial and positive inverted positioning of the basket means for disassembly thereby avoiding an accidental disconnection of the display baskets.

From the foregoing description it is submitted that those familiar with the art will readily understand and appreciate the novel advancement presented by the present invention and readily recognize that the basic objective of providing a display system which is readily assembled and disassembled in a simplified manner is accomplished thereby. Further, because of the knock down capability of the various components involved in the display system of this invention and especially the capability of the individual display baskets to internest, it is readily apparent that the space requirements for either storing, shipping or plating the baskets is considerably less than that involved in prior known display rack systems of this general character which, as hereinabove pointed out, are normally pre-assembled in rigid fashion at a factory and thus require substantial volume for transshipment.

In addition, while the present invention has been described and illustrated in association with a particular preferred embodiment of its concepts and features, the same is obviously susceptible to variation and change without departing from its inventive concepts and as a consequence it is intended that the present invention be unlimited by the foregoing except as defined in the following appended claims. 

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A collapsible merchandise display system comprising support pole means, a ground engaging base having a central hub coaxially receptive of said pole means for holding the latter in vertical operating position, at least one support means detachably mounted on said pole means to extend laterally therefrom and comprising a pair of registeringly superposed and parallel spaced rod-like side rails horizontally supported outwardly of said pole means, and a plurality of wire formed basket means, each having an open top article receptive pocket, detachably suspended from said support means and comprising a pair of laterally spaced linear leg portions defining one side of said pocket and having the terminal ends thereof formed as rigid semi-circular hook means, the open sides of which are oriented toward said pocket; said hook means operationally extending between said rails and partially about the uppermost thereof in overlying relation with the lowermost thereof when said basket means is in upright article receiving position on said support means, and said hook means further cooperating with said uppermost rail to prevent detachment of said basket means from said support means except when said basket means is inverted.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein each said basket means comprises a rectangular endless rim member, and a unitary body fastened to one side of said rim member and consisting of said leg portions, integral bar portions extending transversely from the operationally lower ends of said leg portions in spaced underlying parallelism with said rim member, and a generally V-shaped barrier portion formed between the outer ends of said bar portions and extending upwardly therebetween, the apex of said V portion lying between said bar portions and said rim member in spaced alignment with the latter whereby a plurality of identically sized said basket means are internestable.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a pair of annular side rails, a central tubular hub member fittable over said pole means, and spoke means extending between said hub member and side rails, said spoke means having their ends disposed between said rails to effectuate the desired superposed spacing thereof and to interconnect said rails with said hub member.
 4. The combination of claim 1 in which said support means comprises a tubular hub member, superposed pairs of spaced linear side rails connected to opposite sides of said hub member in parallel spaced relationship, and rod means extending transversely between the outer ends of the opposed pairs of side rails to effectuate the desired spacing thereof. 